• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.413-417
• /
• 1998

We describe a case of adult tracheoesophageal fisula incidentally found during laparotomy. A 41 year old male came to the emergency room due to multiple injuries from a car accident. An emergent laparotomy was given to the patient to rule out hemoperitoneum, and progressive distension of the stomach was noted with each positive pressure ventilation. The diagnosis of tracheoesophageal fistula was made via an intraoperative esophagogram. Detailed inquiry of the patient's history from his mother together with extensive destructive changes over the right upper lung field on the patient's chest X ray suggested that the fistula was longstanding and not of traumatic origin, obviating the need of urgent operation. The fistula was divided via the right thoracotomy 24 days later. Postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.253-258
• /
• 1985

The congenital tracheoesophageal fistula without atresia of the esophagus is considered a rare variant, and the literature concerned to the tracheoesophageal fistula without atresia, is little in adult especially. The 22-year-old male was admitted to Yeungnam University Hospital with his chief complaints of weight loss (6kg/6 months), abdominal discomfort, and intermittent coughing. The diagnosis was made by the endoscopy and esophagography. The fistula was 1.5cm in diameter, 0.5cm in length. The level was around second thoracic vertebra. The operation was performed transpleurally through the right third intercostal space and the fistula was secured with interrupted silk suture after division. The fibrotic adhesion was seen around the tracheoesophageal fistula. The postoperative course was uneventful, and postoperative esophagogram revealed ho extraluminal leakage. Herewith we report this unusual case of isolated tracheo-esophageal fistula with review of literatures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.8
• /
• pp.892-895
• /
• 2008

H-type tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is extremely rare in infants and children, and clinical manifestations of this condition are diverse based on its severity. Some cases of congenital TEF diagnosed in adulthood have been reported, which indicate the difficulty of early diagnosis of this disease. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) may induce chronic aspiration, pulmonary aspiration, apparent life-threatening events, and failure to thrive. We report a 5-month-old boy whose recurrent pneumonia and wheezing did not improve under usual treatment and led to acute respiratory distress syndrome. He was found to have severe GER on the second-trial of the esophagogram and was eventually revealed to have congenital H-type TEF upon repeated evaluation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.907-913
• /
• 1997

Background : Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula(BEF) presented in adult life is a rare disorder and has characteristic clinical findings such as paroxysmal cough after water ingestion and recurrent respiratory infections. It usually manifested recurrent pneumonia and chronic cough with purulent phlegmon which was mis-or under-diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis or lung abscess so forth. Methods : We reviewed retrospectively 13 cases of congenital BEF in adult of Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University including 22 cases of congenital BEF previously reported in literature of Korea from 1979 through 1995. Results : The mean age at diagnosis was $40.2{\pm}14.3$. There was no difference in sex ratio(Male : Female 18 : 17). The most common symptom was cough(91.4%), followed by chronic sputum(74.3), hemoptysis(25.7), and paroxysmal nocturnal cough at specific position(20%). Twenty one of 31 patients who were able to review have the most specific sign, Ono's sign presented as paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. By classification of Braimbridge-Keith, Fourteen(45.1%) of 31 patients were group I (associated with esophageal diverticulum), 15(48.4%) were group II (simple fistula), and group Ill and IV was one case in each. The opening of fistula confined to right lower lobe in 26(76.5%), left lower lobe in 6(17.6%), and left main bronchus in 2(5.9%) cases. Conclusion : Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula is uncommon disorder which has characteristic histories and specific symptoms such as chronic and recurrent lower respiratory infections, and paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. Medical attention and careful history should be done in patients who have localized recurrent lower respiratory infections in right lower lobe.